Circuit-closer for railway-car telegraphs



(No Model.)

G. I. HOPKINS. CIRCUIT CLCSRR PCR RAILWAY CAR TRLRCRAPRS.

Patented May 7, 1889.

N. PETERS, Phlo-Lithognpher, Washnginn. D4 C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

GEORGE IRVING HOPKINS, OF MANCHESTER, NEV HAMPSHIRE.

CIRCUIT-CLOSER FOR RAILWAY-CAR TELEGRAPHS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,828, dated May 7,1889.

Application filed January ll, 1887. Renewed October 19, 1888. Serial No.288,614. (No model.)

T0 all whom/ it Hefty concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE IEVING HOP- KINS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in Manchester, in the county of Hillsborough and Stateof New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inOircuit-@losers for Railway-Car Telegraphs; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact descript-ion of my invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

My invention relates to circnit-closers designed for use intrain-telegraphs, especially those systems of train-telegraph in whichelectrical outgoing and return conductors are carried through the carsin a cord corresponding in position and function to the ordinarybell-cord now used on passenger-trains.

The details of my invention are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l is a section through one end of arailway-car and through my circuit-closer applied thereto. Fig. 2 is adetail, and Fig. 3 illustrates the electrical circuits.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A represents a section through oneof the end partitions of a railway-car.

B is a tube passing through an opening in the said partition. The tubeis internally threaded at the end and fitted with caps C and D, as shownin the drawings. Hthin the tube B are two blocks or plugs, E and F,

'of insulating material, the former of which has some play between thecap O and the shoulder G within the tube, while the latter is fixedagainst the shoulder II after the cap D is screwed in place. Each of theinsulatin g-blocks is traversed by a pair of conducting-rods, c' and oneof each pair is connected. with one of the other pair across theintervening space in the tube by a coiled wire, 7'. The plug E isnormally held against the shoulder G by a spiral spring, L.

To the outer ends of the respective rods/L' t' are secured electricalconductors 0 o', which are united, as shown, in a cord, P, but keptlelectrically insulated from each other. rlhe rods vl t' are alsoinsulated from the cap O.

The apparatus above described is protected from dust. by capsor-coverings T T, each of through which the cord passes.

The tube B and the caps C and D are made of any suitable metal,preferably brass. On that end of the insulating-plug E which is locatedneXt to the cap C are supported two pairs of flaring springs, e c, whichare electrically connected with the rods z' z'. -Now it is evident thatthe said rods, together with the coi-led wires jj, form part of theelectric circuit of the conductors o o. As shown in Fig. 3, th ese wiresor conductors are connected with a battery, S, and a bell, V, on thelocomotive. The conductors pass from there to a coupler, IV, between thelocomotive and the first car, and thence through the car to thecircuit-closing apparatus, already described. There is a coupler, lV,between every two cars; but the circuitis open through the entire lengthof the train except when closed through the circuit-closer. The detailsof the coupler are not shown nor described here, but in a separateapplication, Serial No. 224,005, tiled herewith.

The action of the circuit-closer is as follows: IVhen it is desired tosignal the engineer, the cord P is pulled and the insulating-plug E isdrawn outward,bringing the springs c e into contact with the metal capC. It is evident that by this process the electrical circuit is'closedfrom one wire to the other and the bell on the locomotive will sound.

I have shown but a single circuit-closer in each railway-car; but I mayhave a circuitcloser at each end of every car. It will be understoodthat the circuit is open at the rear of the train, as well as betweenthe several cars.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent,

1. In a railw'ay-car-telegraph system, the combination, with a pair ofinsulated electrical conductors united in a single cord, ofcontact-springs joined to the said conductors, and a fixed conductorlocated in the path of the said springs, the latter being adapted, whenthe conductors are moved longitudinally, to be brought into contact withthe said h'xed conductor, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the plug E, rods which is provided with a smallopening,-

IOO

'1l fI, Springs e e, and ezLp C, of the coiled Wires set forth.

The eombi11atio11,wth the Jaube B, of lLhe movable insulating-block Eand the xed iu- Sulatvi 11g-block F, the rods z' 1', Jche Springs e e,the 0:11) C, mld the coiled wresjj, as und for he purpose Set forth.

4. The combination, with the cord P :md its contained conductors, thetubo B, oups C und 1'), and insulating-plugs E and F, eouneeted by thecoiled Wiresjj, the Suid plugs ,717' :md the spring 71:, as and for thepurpose y supporting the rods fz `1I and the springs e e, of the caps TT, for protect-ing the parts from,

dust.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto Signed my name in the presence. oftwo subscribing

